United Nations must investigate reasons for violence!

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) has sent an appeal to Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to investigate the reasons for the outbreak of violence in north-western China. "With 141 victims of politically motivated violence in only six weeks, the Uyghur conflict has reached a new and tragic dimension," said the STP's expert on questions concerning Asia, Ulrich Delius, in Göttingen on Sunday. "Chinese reports concerning such incidents tend to be incomplete and misleading – and the misinformation even leads to new disputes. Independent investigations of the events are needed in order to stop the spiral of violence."

The STP has registered eleven incidents in Xinjiang / East Turkestan since June 18, 2014, with 141 victims (mostly Muslim Uyghurs), eleven injured and 231 arrested Uyghurs. Most recently, nine locals were shot dead by police forces on Friday of last week.

According to information by the human rights organization, there were 60 violent clashes since March 2013, with 495 dead and 526 injured. In the same period, at least 976 Uyghurs were arrested for political reasons. 256 Uyghurs were convicted for political offenses in June and July of 2014 – of which 22 were sentenced to death and executed.

China's state-controlled media regularly mention Uyghurs "attacking" police stations. Thus, according to an official statement, 96 people got killed in an alleged attack on a police station on Monday of last week. According to eyewitnesses, the supposed "attackers" had gathered outside the police station to protest against violations of the freedom of religion during the fasting month of Ramadan. China's authorities reported ten more similar incidents since March 2013 – but further research shows that many of these so-called "attacks" started as peaceful protests of the local population against arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial executions and against restrictions of the freedom of religion. Apparently, the police forces had opened fire and then declared the protesters to be "terrorists." At least three Uyghurs died in Akyol (Aksu Prefecture) on August 7, 2013, in the course of protests against restrictions concerning the Ramadan month. 15 Uyghur protesters died in a similar incident in Hanerik (Hotan Prefecture) in June 2013.

Admittedly, there are also deliberate attacks by Uyghurs against security forces and police stations, so there must be fair criminal proceedings.

Ulrich Delius, the STP's Asia-consultant, is available for further questions: +49 551 499 06 27 or asien@gfbv.de.

Header Photo: Uyghurs in exile give vent to their anger during the visit of the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, in Berlin in March 2014. Lisa Quelle/GfbV